17 November 2005

Stephen G.Ray, Jr. continues with sin-talk in "Do No Harm."

After noting that sin is increasingly focused on the actions of persons who have the least social power Ray writes: This means that the "sinners" of our popular imagination have been those least able to contest the labeling of themselves and their social environment as sinful. Two examples of this are the current public discussion of welfare ands sexual orientation - discussions in which people who receive welfare and gay people have frequently been silenced or discounted.

Ray goes on to say that sin-talk regarding these two groups focuses on irresponsibility and then disease, corruption and defilement. These are heavy weights put around the necks of these people. In addition, these tend to be people who do not have the power to brush that sin-talk away. Rather, we let it stick on them as though we must find someone on whom we can push our notion of sin and keep it away from ourselves. It someone is seen as being irresponsible, trust can easily be withdrawn from them. If they are poor, it is much easier to withdraw from them than if we we dealing with the powerful who often are very irresponsible...but we let them get away with it. The same happens with defilement. Someone seen as being dirty as in "dirty in regard to sexual activity" is easily isolated. But the dirty hands of politicians and corporate executives rarely are considered. We simply joke about it and let it continue. Sin-talk can and does destroy lives when we use it for just that reason. And nothing is easier to destroy than those with no power...and it gives people the satisfaction of having done something to put an end to "sin." What a joke.

Connection: Keep your eyes open to the many ways the brokenness, the sin within our world finds its way into so many levels of life. Sin-talk is good when we remember how it is a part of us all and all of us need to face up to that quite natural way of living in the world - claiming to be a god of sorts.

Come, Lord Jesus, and teach us the ways of your peace. When we walk that road, it is more likely that we will walk humbly with one another and be able to face up to our own brokenness and shine a light on the brokenness of our world wherever it takes place. Amen.